Are there different resolution MRI scans available?

[TR4guy]

Hi all

I'm pretty new here. 
I've seen some other folks MRI images and some look much more clear and detailed than mine are.
I'm wondering if there are some MRI machines that have higher resolutions or perhaps they just focus in on the area around the AN to get more detail?

Anyone know of such a thing?

Thanks in advance.

Scott

[Jim Scott]

Scott ~

Yes, there are various iterations of MRI scanning.  This link to Wikipedia explains it better than I could.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging.  I hope this helps.

Jim

[pjb]

Most definitely I had an MRI 4 months ago and it was negative had a gut feeling to have another one around my 1 year anniversary at the more modern place I went to for the surgery and now this MRI shows some residual ?? So I am a little shocked because the 4 month one I have been going there for years and most likely the equipment is definitely up to date.

Best Wishes,

Pat

[free2be]

Interesting topic and question. I have wondered this myself. I live away from the city and my first MRI was done at a smaller hospital. They did diagnose the AN; so, I can't fault them or their equipment. But, I know it seemed different than the one done at Emory. Since I'm going to CA for CK and will need to get MRIs done here and sent to Dr. Chang, I had been wondering if it mattered where I had them done.

Isn't this interesting when it comes to diagnosis of all kinds of issues. No one ever thinks about or asks if it matters where the MRI is done. Makes you wonder how many things can get missed with MRIs that are not the best machines. Yiks! It's too much to ponder.

Thanks for asking the question, Scott, and for posting that link, Jim.
Connie

[pjb]

Yes I am proof of that I had an MRI 4 months ago locally and then decided to do another one recently at my 1 year anniversary from where I had the surgery gut feeling on my part and lucky I did the newer place shows some residual from the surgery performed last year.

Best Wishes,

Pat

[iluuvpups]

Hi.  This has me so confused.  I talked to a friend from here and she said to ask for a T3 or Tesla3.  I don't even see that listed on the Wikipedia link Jim provided.  So do I ask for an MRI or an MRA or a T3 MRI?  Or if I go to a major university, is that enough?  I had my first two MRIs at the University of Michigan.  I had planned to have my first post-surgery follow-up one there too just for consistency sake.  You know, no one diagnosed me with a facial neuroma until they opened me up.  So maybe I should go elsewhere entirely because if I had previously, perhaps they would have seen that I had a facial neuroma?  Any thoughts on this would be helpful as I'm not sure what to do.  Thanks.  --Carol Ann

[TR4guy]

I don't know about the specifics about the number of Teslas or whatever they are talking about (strength of the magnetic field maybe)

I do know that when I had an MRI done that was directed only at the IAC - (as opposed to the entire brain)  there was one series of images that was taken with a much thinner "slice" thickness.

They were done at 1.2mm sections as opposed to the previous group of images that were done at either 5mm or 3mm sections. 

Scott

[iluuvpups]

Thanks for your reply, Scott.  My doctor ordered 1mm 'cuts'.  I ended up calling the doctor's office and he said I should go for the T3 thing since it gives a better picture.  So I scheduled that.  I still wonder about the MRA someone on here mentioned but I guess I'll just go with the MRI.

[TR4guy]

Thanks for your reply, Scott.  My doctor ordered 1mm 'cuts'.  I ended up calling the doctor's office and he said I should go for the T3 thing since it gives a better picture.  So I scheduled that.  I still wonder about the MRA someone on here mentioned but I guess I'll just go with the MRI.

A couple of comments. 

For reasons I won't get into here, I had requested MRI slices at 1.5mm or less.
One place I called fought me on it, saying that the radiologist didn't want slices that small.
I protested because the Dr. who was going to use the MRI images specifically asked for slices that thin.  I didn't care so much what the radiologist wanted, the images were not primarly for him.  In the end I went somewhere else.
I'd have been thrilled to get 1mm slices.  How'd you luck out?   

Secondly . . . a tiny bit of research on "MRI vs MRA" should answer your question. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_angiography

Do you have some cause to doubt your doctor's ordering of an MRI vs an MRA?
MRA looks like it is a type of MRI that is aimed at imaging blood vessels.  (A = Angiometry)
Are you trying to image the tumor?   Go MRI.
Are you trying to image bloodvesels - Go back and ask for why you aren't getting an MRA.

Scott

[iluuvpups]

Thanks for all the info, Scott!

I don't actually know yet if I've lucked out.  ;-)  The doctor wrote the order for 1mm cuts, but I'm not sure they'll do them.  I didn't confirm that when I made my appointment.  I guess I just assumed that it wouldn't be a problem.

I don't have any reason to doubt my doctor ordering the MRI.  I just was reading one of the above posts in this thread where someone said you should get an MRA since they're clearer.  I guess which one you get depends on the need. 

[Denise S]

Thanks for your reply, Scott.  My doctor ordered 1mm 'cuts'.  I ended up calling the doctor's office and he said I should go for the T3 thing since it gives a better picture.  So I scheduled that.  I still wonder about the MRA someone on here mentioned but I guess I'll just go with the MRI.

Hi there, I haven't been on in forever and since we chatted on the types of machines.   Now I see this post..when did you get in for and is it at Providence or U of M?       I was just in Wisconsin at the Chiari center and asked when going for MRI's again about the difference.   She too told me that a T3 or Tesla is clearer, but they didn't have that available over there yet.  Since I needed stuff for Chiari more than tumor, it was o.k. anyways.

[Stand]

This is a good discussion.  So would a typical MRI machine be able to show whether or not there's an AN?  My community told me that we have two MRI machines and we just received a new one that has stronger magnets.  So they are sending me to that one.  So I'm wondering, maybe I should go to Springfield or St Louis?  (the nearest large cities in my state)

[Denise S]

This is a good discussion.  So would a typical MRI machine be able to show whether or not there's an AN?  My community told me that we have two MRI machines and we just received a new one that has stronger magnets.  So they are sending me to that one.  So I'm wondering, maybe I should go to Springfield or St Louis?  (the nearest large cities in my state)

All MRI machines should be able to detect an AN.   The stronger magnets are probably the T3 machine.  That would be the best, but the others are good too.

[Stand]

Thank you, Denise. 

[Denise S]

http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/dimag/legacy/advancedMR/3tmri.html

A little idea of Tesla 3 vs. Tesla 1.5 above

Stand, make sure whatever level MRI type that it is With AND Without contrast.